of them For Example The Egyptians ascrib'd Agriculture and the Invention of Squeezing Wine from the Grape to their Osiris which belongs to Noah as we are inform'd by Moses Chap. 9.20 The Phaenicians too had publish'd several Fictions if Philo Byblius's Sanchoniathou has given us a true account of their Theology a Fragment of which is to be seen in Eusebius's Praeparatio Evangelica l. 1. cap. 10. which Moses contradicts as will soon appear by comparing the two Histories 5. He seems likewise by not only Writing his Law but Publishing it and commanding it to be read every Seventh Year Deut. 31.10 tacitly to reprehend the Conduct of the Egyptian Priests who had several secret Rites and hidden Dotrines which it was not lawful to discover to the People (m) The Egyptian Priests had not only their Mysteries and Sacred Doctrines which they did not hold it Lawful to reveal to the People but peculiar Letters or Characters which none but themselves could read Vid. Herod L. 2. Diod. Biblioth L. 3. See our Notes upon Gen. 41.8 6. Most of the Oriental Nations not only boasted of their Antiquity as Diodorus Siculus has observ'd in his first Book but likewise extravagantly praised their Founders and reckon'd them among their Gods as after Diodorus Herodotus in the place above-mention'd and Manetho in Eusebius's Praep. Evang. l. 2. c. 1. and several others have remarked Now Moses shews them to be descended of Cham Noah's third Son who was so far from Meriting a place among the Divinities that he could not be esteem'd a Good Man He likewise observes all under one Chap. 9.22 that the Canaanites were descended from that Race which God had curs'd Nor did he forget Chap. 19.37 38. to take notice that the Ammonites and the Moabites came from Incestuous Parents And as the Edomites might perhaps boast that they proceeded from the eldest Son he exposes his Scandalous Selling of his Birth-right Chap. 25. Nay perhaps he had this in his Head when he observes that the younger Children were often prefer'd to the elder as we have observ'd upon (n) 'T is remarkable enough says M. le Clerk upon this place that Moses takes care all along in his History wherein he omits innumerable Particulars of the greatest Consequence to observe that several First-begotten Sons either forfeited their Birth-right or were inferior to their younger Brothers in all good Qualities Thus Cain the First-born was not so acceptable to God as his Brother Abel and at last lost the Privileges of Primogeniture Gen. 4. Shem seems to be preferr'd to Japhet Gen. 5. 9. Abraham to Haran Gen. 11. Isaac to Ishmael Gen. 17. and Jacob is set before Isaiah Amongst the Sons of Jacob Reuben loses his Birth-right which was partly conferred upon Judah and partly upon Joseph and Joseph's younger Son is preferred to the Elder If it were lawful for us to interpose our own Conjectures continues he we might with probability enough suppose that the Moabites the Ammonites Ishmaelites and Edomites who were all descended from the eldest Sons did upon that Score claim a Right over the Israelites where they happened to be more Powerful than them For which reason Moses who writ chiefly for the sake of the Jews often took notice that the elder Brothers were not without good cause Postpon'd to the younger Nay Moses himself who was the younger of the two was preferr'd to his Brother Aaron Non sine aliquâ fratris inpidiâ Numb 12. Gen. 48.19 therefore it is highly Credible that Moses had a mind to mortifie the Pride of the neighbouring Nations and furnish the Israelites with some Topicks to upbraid them with 7. Lastly While he writes the History of the Hebrews although 't is true he enlarges more copiously upon their Affairs yet we must not believe and the Brevity of it is a convincing Argument of what I here maintain that he never design'd to write full Annals It appears from the Sacred History it self that several things are omitted by him which however are told in another place though they had no relation to it He says nothing of the Idolatry of the Ancestors of the Israelites when they were beyond the Euphrates of which Joshua 24.2 makes mention unless perhaps it is obscurely hinted at in Gen. 31.53 He is utterly silent of the Idolatry of the Israelites in Egypt which nevertheless Ezekiel the Prophet lays to their Charge Chap. 20.7 8. He has likewise omitted a particular sort of Superstition into which they fell when they were in the Wilderness of which Amos 5.25 26. gives us an account But for what reasons we are wholly in the dark But since by these Examples and indeed by the Work it self 't is evident that Moses did not write Annals we must less admire to see him neglect the order of Time which ought to be observ'd in a larger History For 't is well known that in such sorts of Histories as Lives are the true Series of things is never accurately kept as we find in the most celebrated Biographers of the Greeks and Latins Plutarch Diogenes Laertius Corn. Nepos and Suetonius These seem to be the particular Designs of Moses these his more secret Ends of Writing besides that universal and manifest End which the Reader finds at first sight namely of bringing the Israelites to the Worship of the only true God They that remember these Hints as they are reading of Moses will discover several more things than we have here mention'd as we have likewise taken notice of many things in our Commentary which we did not think convenient to repeat here Dissertation IV. Concerning the Temptation of Eve by the Serpent I. How differently Interpreters have explained this History Some affirm that it was a real Serpent II. Others look upon the whole to be Allegorical or III. Pretend that the Devil was signified by that Name Or IV. That he informed the body of a Serpent V. That the manner how Sin entered into the World cannot certainly be known VI. Another Explication of this Passage VII Why the Serpent is called Subtle VIII The meaning of the word Naked IX Why a Punishment was inflicted upon the Serpent I. SOME of the Ancient Jews are of Opinion that the whole passage in Moses is to be understood of a real Serpent which Creature they imagine to have formerly had the Gift of Speech so that Eve might very well understand him Josephus in the first Book of his Antiquities c. 1. pretends that at that time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Creatures using the same Language and consequently being indued with Reason and Understanding the Serpent incited by Envy tempted Eve to Sin and among other things received this signal Punishment viz. That he should be deprived of his Feet and ever after crawl upon the Ground Aben ezra and several Rabbins interpret this place after the same manner To explain my self impartially If Moses had been of this Opinion he could not have spoken more plainly to
in it which Moses informs us was very good in the Land of Havilah For the same reason Pactolus a River of Lydia bore the same name Havilah was nearer to Judea and that b Pison was perhaps the Chrysorrhoas that runs by Damascus But supposing Chaldea is here meant yet by reason of the Merchants that traffick'd from thence into Egypt that Country might very well be known for if in Jacob's time Caravans of Merchants traveled from Gilead into Egypt why might they not likewise come from Chaldea too thither 2. The same is suspected of Chap. 10.8 and the following Verses where a larger account is given of Nimrod and his Empire than there is of any other Heads of Families and Countries and this they imagine might be said more agreeably after the Babylonian Captivity than before the Israelites had any manner of Commerce with those People But the mighty Reputation of Babylon and the other Cities there mention'd seem to afford sufficient Cause why Moses should write a little more particularly about their Beginnings who otherwise of himself is apt enough to make such Discoveries of Antiquity As we have frequently (c) Thus in the 35th Chapter of Genesis v. 8. Moses tells us why the Oak under which Rebecca's Nurse was buried was called Allon-bachouth i. e. the Oak of Weeping not that this Circumstance was of greater moment than several others which he omits as Jacob's coming home to his Parents Rebecca's death c. but only because he had a mind to acquaint his Reader why this Oak which lasted to his own time was called so 'T is not the most unuseful part of an Antiquary's Business to give the Original of Names Hence it is that we have an account of the name of Babil Chap. 11.9 of Zoar Chap. 19.22 of Bethel Chap. 28.9 Not to instance in any more observ'd upon Genesis As for what concerns the name of Nineve which seems to be of a later date than Moses as deriving its name from Ninus the Son of Belus who according to the exactest Computation of Chronology flourish'd about the time of Deborah perhaps the Original of it was otherwise than is commonly related For who in so great an Antiquity and so vast a defect of ancient Monuments dare positively affirm any thing Perhaps too some one else might add it to Moses's words as Learned Men have conjectured of several other Names 3. 'T is pretended that the following passage And the Canaanite was then in the Land Chap. 12.6 could only come from a Writer who lived after the Canaanites were turn'd out of their Country But what Judgment is to be made of these words we have sufficiently shewn in our (d) Some are of opinion that out of the eleven Families of the Canaanites some of them were called so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above the rest who inhabited these places And 't is true indeed that the Canaanites are often mentioned as a particular Tribe see Gen. 13.7 Chap. 15.21 Exod. 3.8 17. Chap. 33.2 Chap. 34.11 and elsewhere But then they are expresly said to have lived near the Sea and near Jordan but not at Sichem However perhaps they dwelt here in Abraham's time and Moses had a regard to that Our Author prefers this Solution to the rest Commentary upon that place neither is it necessary for us to repeat it here perhaps they might be added by a later hand after the Expulsion of the Canaanites by the Children of Israel and perhaps 't is one of those superfluous Observations which frequently occurr in the Sacred Volumes which might have been omitted without any Injury done to the History 4. In Chap. 13.8 we meet with the word Hebron by which name that Town did not go till after Moses's time as appears from Joshua 14.15 Chap. 15.13 where it is said to have changed its old name Arba in the days of Caleb and Joshua and indeed that City seems to derive its name Hebron from the Nephew of Caleb But Learned Men have rightly observed that this passage might be added by another hand since the time of Moses to expound an obscure Name by one that was better known See likewise Chap. 21.2 5. The like Conjecture is drawn from the word Dan which we find Chap. 14.14 and 't is urged that the name of it was Laish or Leshem till it was taken by the Children of Dan. See Joshua 9.47 But we have handled this Matter in our Commentary where we plainly make it appear that it is not well (e) Josephus relating this History lib. 1. c. 10. tells us That Abraham attack'd the Assyrians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 near Dan and adds For this is the name of one of the heads of Jordan If this is true 't is certain that this Head was so called long before the City Laish obtained its new name and afterwards when the Children of Dan possessed themselves of these places that not only this Fountain but the neighbouring City took the same name A place may happen to receive the same Appellation for two several causes as for instance Bâ—ersheba i. e. the Well of the Oath was so called from two Covenants that were made near it See Gen. 21.31 Chap. 26.33 And this might be the case of Dan. grounded 6. In Chap. 20.7 we read the word (f) This word seems to have been in use with the Hebrews at fiâ—st afterwards the word Roe a Seer was more commonly used but at last Nabi came in fashion again Horace de Arte Poeticâ has a passage which is very applicable to this purpose Multa renascentur quae jam cecidere cadéntque Quae nunc sunt in honore vocabula si volet usus The same Fate has befallen this word which that judicious Poet observes to have happened to several more It was used in Moses's time under the Judges it grew out of date and after them was again revived Nabi a Prophet which notwithstanding seems not to have been in use till after Moses's Age 1 Sam. 9.9 After all perhaps the meaning of the Sacred Historian may be this That not so much the word Nabi was left off in the time of Saul as that it was not used in that Phrase Let us go to the Seer 7. Moses speaking of the Mountain where Abraham was to have offer'd up his Son as a Sacrifice has the following words Chap. 22.14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh as it is said to this day in the Mount of the Lord it shall be seen Some are of opinion that this was the Mountain Moria upon which the Temple was built and which did not go by that name till the Temple was erected upon it But this is a meer Conjecture and although Moriah and Jehovah-Jireh seem to signifie the same thing yet it does not follow from thence that 't is but one name With no greater reason on their side do others observe that Moses could not be the Author of that Proverbial Saying for so they
before I shew how far the Power of God was concerned in this matter I'llenquire into what could be done by the Power of Second Causes and then I 'll shew what what God himself did towards it and what was done by the Second Causes Lastly I shall answer the Objections of our Adversaries III. God speaks thus to Moses Exod. 14.16 But lift up thy Rod and stretch out thine hand over the Sea and divide it and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the Sea It appears from Verse 20 21. That Moses received those orders towards the Evening Then Moses obeying God's Orders smote the Sea but it was not presently divided for thus we find Verse 21. And Moses stretched out his hand over the Sea and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong Wind all the Night and made the Sea dry Land and the Waters were divided When therefore Moses smote the Sea there arose a strong Wind which divided the Waters by degrees for Moses himself says that the Wind drove back the Waters of the Sea all that Night that is almost all the Night for the Egyptians were already gone into the Sea in pursuit of the Israelites in the Morning Watch as he says V. 24. 'T is well known that the Hebrews divided the Night into three Watches which being so and seeing the Sacred History tells us that the Sea return'd in the Morning-watch 't is likely that the Wind blew almost 12 Hours together from Sun-setting to Sun-rising for the Israelites departed a little after the Equinox of the Spring If we knew in what Watch of the Day or Night the Sea covered the Shores or retired from them we might explain this matter more accurately But seeing the Sea Ebs and Flows in twelve Hours 't is likely that it began to go back in the beginning of the Night and that the Reflux was hastened and encreased by a strong Wind but the next Tide was slower the same Wind blowing still and keeping back the Waves for some time during which interval of time the Israelites went through the dry Channel of the Sea-Let us suppose for Example that the Sea being return'd to the South was to flow again towards the North about the beginning of the Second Watch if there had been no Wind the Sea might have gone back before the Second Watch by reason of the Violence of the Wind and not have returned to the Northern Shores of the Red Sea but some Hours later so that the Israelites might go over during the whole Second Watch that is during four Hours at least Indeed they were already gone through the Sea before the Morning-watch in which all the Egyptians went into the Channel and were Drowned Now that we may understand how so many Thousands of Men might go through the Red Sea in so short a time we ought to consider two things First that the extremity of that Gulph is very narrow as 't is granted by all those who wrote about it and not above two Miles broad It was therefore no difficult thing for the Israelites though they were so numerous to go a great pace through the Channel of the Sea in a few Hours which otherwise could not be understood if it was broader From whence also it follows that the Sea going back towards the South leaves not only the Shores dry but its very Channel because of the narrowness of the place unless it be deeper in some places I think there is no need I should prove that the Israelites went through it at the further end of the Gulph seeing it plainly appears that they did from the situation of the place in which they encamped as it is described Exod. 14.2 Secondly It ought to be observed that there was no need the Israelites should run away in Battle aray and in a long File A great space having been dryed by the Wind they might go over in a large Front as the Egyptians tried to do it after them for the whole Army of the Egyptians had not been drowned if few of them had gone together seeing those that were beyond had been at a great distance from those that were in the Front But all the Egyptians were drowned not one excepted from whence it is manifest that they went into the Channel of the Sea in a large Front IV. But I must consider more carefully the strength of the Wind which blew upon the Sea Exod. 14.29 The Children of Israel says Moses walked upon dry Land in the midst of the Sea and the Waters were a Wall unto them on their right hand and on their left Which words ought not to be taken in a literal sence nor those which we find Exod. 15.8 With the blast of thy Nostrils the Waters were gathered together the Floods stood upright as an heap and the depths were congealed in the heart of the Sea Who sees not that this is a Figurative Speech For 1. God blows not with his Nostrils nor did Moses believe he did who teaches every where that God hath no humane shape 2. There is a great difference between a Heap of Corn and a bulk of Ice nor could the driving of the Waters into the Ocean be compared to both but in a Figurative sence from whence it appears that neither of them can be understood in a proper sence 3. Had the Waters been congealed on both sides there had been no need of a Strong Wind blowing all that Night to uphold its Weight for from the time the Water was divided and congealed on both sides it could not return into the middle Channel but by the melting of the Ice In like manner the Water might be said to be as as a Wall unto the Israelites because they could not go through it on the Right hand or on the Left nor does any thing hinder but there might be some Water on their Left Hand in deep Pits tho' the greatest part of it was removed to the Right Hand by the Ebbing of the Sea and the Ford through which they went was left dry Thus Nahum 3.8 the Sea is said to be a wall to the City of No. Art thou better says the Prophet than populous No that was situate among the Rivers that had the waters round about it whose rampart was the Sea and her wall was from the Sea I think therefore that such was the Division of the Waters of the Red Sea that when the Wind which encreased its Ebbing had driven all the Waters except that which remained in deep Pits from the further end of the Gulph towards its Mouth there appeared a large Ford over against the Israelites through which they went to the opposite Shore which could the more easily happen because that Sea being full of Fords when there happens a greater Reflux then ordinarily those Fords are left dry tho' as I shall shew hereafter the Wind which God raised drove the Sea farther then ever it was before or hath been since
that we know of Most of those who described that Sea say that 't is Fordable They also say that it hath a violent Ebbing and Flowing P. Belonius Observ Book II. ch 67. Speaking of a Town call'd now Tor says That it is Situated on a high place for the Sea swells sometimes so much that it overflows the Fields and surrounds the Town with its Waters Nor can it be otherwise in a Narrow Streight especially when it reaches from South to North for the Sea flows from the South thro' a Narrow Passage with great violence and having no room to Expatiate it must needs be high on the contrary when it Ebbs it must of necessity leave many Fords empty and the extremity of the Golph almost dry However a place out of Psalm 136. v. 13. may be objected against my Hypothesis There 't is said That God divided the Red Sea into Parts which words seem to imply that the Waters were so divided by the Wind as to be driven on the right hand and on the left But they might be said to be divided into Parts if the Water remain'd on both sides tho' it was not heap'd up by the strength of the Wind for the Water which return'd towards the South was separated from that which remain'd in the Northern Pits Which Water left in those Pits may be call'd a Part because it was separated from the rest of the Water by the violence of the Wind. We read in the Annals of Geneva that in the Year MCCCCXC the South-wind blew with so great a Violence that the Water of the Rhone a most swift River flowing from the Leman Lake to the South stood still a quarter of an Hour In like manner the Wind might encrease the Motion of the Ebbing Sea and stop its Impetuosity when it flowed again It was observed in Holland in the Year MDCLXXII that the Ebbing of the Sea lasted Twelve Hours which hindred the Descent of the English whether this was the Effect of the Wind or some other cause is not well known Why therefore could not the Ebbing of the Red Sea last longer than it usually did through the Divine Will and return Later to the same Shores V. Having thus explain'd the Words of Moses which concern the thing itself it will not be needless to enquire from what part of Heaven the Wind blew The Lord says Moses caused the Sea to go back by a strong East-Wind all that night as our Translation renders it But I am of Opinion the Hebrew word Kadim cannot here signifie an East-Wind because such a Wind was fitter to drive the Floods to the Shore wherein the Israelites were than to divide the. Waters unless we suppose that it blew only on a certain part of the Sea so as to hinder the Waters from running in the middle But who can apprehend how so many thousands of Men could I will not say stand in the Channel of the Sea but go thro' it in so short a time whilst so violent a Whirl-wind blew in their Faces I should think therefore that the Word Kadim denotes not that part of Heaven from whence this Wind blew but a Violent Wind from whencesoever it blew Nor did Moses add the word strong because the Wind call'd Kadim is not commonly a violent one but because the Wind which drove the Waters of the Red Sea towards the Ocean was extreamly violent The word Kadim signifies a violent Wind Psal 48.8 Ezech. 27.26 Job 27.21 Jer. 18.17 Isa 27.8 Jon. 4.8 we may therefore understand by the word Kadim a North-wind Nor could any other Wind open a passage to the Israelites thro' the Fords of the Sea as I have shewed VI. The thing it self favours my opinion as we have seen and no strong Argument can be brought against it from the words of Moses Some therefore will perhaps endeavour to confute it some other way Viz. by accusing it of Novelty But I may shelter my self under the Authority of Josephus who seems to have had the like thoughts when he compared the Passage of the Israelites with Alexander's March thro' the Sea of Pamphylia in these words Book II. towards the End No Body will admire that strange Story that Men who liv'd many Ages ago and were free from malice found a way to escape even thro' the Sea whether God would have it so or whether it happen'd by chance seeing the Sea of Pamphylia gave way to Alexander King of Macedonia who liv'd not long ago and open'd a Passage to him when he had no other when God design'd to destroy the Empire of the Persians I shall not enquire whether those Two Events may be compar'd in every thing 't is false that Alexander had no other way and they differ in other things But however it appears from those words that Josephus believe not without reason that Alexander's Passage was like that of the Israelites in this Viz. in his going thro' the Sea when the Wind turn'd which he could not do whilst it blew I shall here set down the words of Arrianus who relates the thing thus Book I. He lead those who were with him thro' the Sea all along the Shore No Body can go that way but when the North-Wind blows but if the South-Wind blows hard none can go thro' the Shore It happen'd then not without the Will of God as he and those that were with him said that a violent South-Wind turn'd into the North and so he had a quick and easie Passage It appears from those words of Arrianus who relates the thing as Josephus understood it that this latter Historian had the same thoughts as I have concerning the Passage of the Israelites thro' the Red Sea Josephus might also have added out of Livy Book XXVI Ch. 45. if he knew it what that Historian says concerning the taking of New Carthage by P. Scipio Africanus to stop thereby the Mouth of the Romans who denied the Truth of the History of the Hebrews The Words of Livy run thus As soon as he was told the Sea Ebbed he lead his Army to it because he heard from some Fisher Men who had been there in some light Boats and were gone thro' the Fords when their Boats stuck that he might easily go to the Wall of the Town a foot It was about the middle of the day and besides the Water was going back according to its ordinary Ebbing a violent North-Wind arose blowing the same way the Sea Ebbed which so laid open the Fords that in some places the Water came only to the Belly and in other places scarce to the Knee Scipio having carefully observ'd this and ascribing it as a Prodigy to the Protection of the Gods who open'd a new way for the Romans thro' the Sea he commanded his Souldiers to follow Neptune as their Guide But neither Scipio nor Alexander could know that the North-Wind would blow when it was necessary for them And seeing the Providence of God ruled the Actions of the
Heathens not only those of the Hebrews nothing hinders but he might sometimes designedly help Natural Causes on their behalf VII It appears also from the Death of the Egyptians that the Sea was divided as I have said First Moses says that when the Israelites went into the Sea The Egyptians pursued and went in after them in the Night-time to the midst of the Sea even all Pharaoh's Horses his Chariots and Horse-men Exod. 14.23 The Egyptians believed that the Israelites took hold of the Opportunity of an Ebbing which was greater than it used to be and that therefore they ought presently to pursue them least the Passage should be stopt by the return of the Waters Tho' the Egyptians were transported with anger yet had they suspected that it was a Prodigy they had certainly never been so mad as to go into the Channel of the Sea and they might have seen that it was undoubtedly a Miracle were it not that they might with some likelyhood ascribe the thing to an Extraordinary Reflux When the whole Army of the Egyptians came into the Sea and the Israelites got to the opposite Shore that is in the Third Watch of the Night as we learn from what follows Moses was commanded to smite the Sea which being done Exod. 14.27 The Sea return'd to its strength when the morning appear'd Which seems not to have happen'd by degrees but God made use of an extraordinary South-Wind which brought back with a great violence and in a very short time the Waves which stood still by the strength of the North-Wind This we learn from Moses's Song Exod. 15.10 Thou didst blow with thy Wind the Sea covered them They sank as lead in the mighty Waters c. If the Waters were congealed and heaped up on both sides what need was there of a Wind to make them return to their place As they stood up only by the Will of God they might return into their Channel by the same Will provided God would have recall'd the Efficacy of his Power for they had dropt down by their weight like melted Ice Lest the Egyptians should avoid by flying the violence of the Reflux besides the South-Wind by which it was hasten'd Moses says That God Troubled the Host of the Egyptians and took off their Chariot-wheels that they drave them heavily Exod. 14.24 25. That we may the better understand this we must remember that the Army of the Egyptians was made up only of Chariots and Horse-men For Pharaoh brought with him no Infantry to overtake more easily the Israelites nor did he want any seeing he might easily rout an unarm'd People only with his Chariots and Horse-men Besides the March of the Horse-men and Chariots was made slower by a secret Efficacy of the Divine Power Three things might make that Passage more difficult to the Egyptians than to the Israelites 1. There might be in some Places abundance of Mires too deep to drive Chariots and Horses thro' them without great trouble whereas Men a Foot might easily get over them especially the Israelites who were used to wander with their Flocks in the Marshes of Egypt Tho' the Bottom of the Sea is not the same every where yet no Body will wonder that I say there might be here and there some Miry Places in a Space that was some Miles Broad a little while after the Sea left it 2. If there were no Mires in some places there was abundance of deep Sand in which Wheels will sink deeply and thro' which Horses can go but slowly Diodorus Siculus says Book III. There is a vast quantity of Dirt and Sand in that Sea and that the Floods sometimes carry so much Sand about the Ships that Sail in it that they stick fast in the Ground That Sand hindered without doubt the Chariots and Horses from going fast If it be objected that Moses says several times that the Israelites went thro' the Sea as thro' a Dry Land I answer It ought not to be so understood as if the Channel of the Sea had not been so much as moist and dirty The Land is said to be Dry because there was no Waves upon it and it is opposed not to Moistness but to Water as Gen. 1.9 And God said let the Waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place and let the Dry Land appear and God called the Dry Land Earth See also Chap. 8.13 Philo therefore laid too great a stress upon that Word when he said that the Isrelites went thro' the Sea as thro' a way paved with Stones for as he goes on the Sand grew hard and made one solid Body Miracles have been often invented to explain some Words of Scripture upon which they put too literal a Sense of which the Holy Writers never so much as dream'd 3. The Bottom of the Sea being uneven and full of Rocks and †See Theophras Hist of Plants Book IV. ch 8. Shrubs could not give a Free passage to the Chariots Nay 't was almost impossible for those who drived the Chariots and hastened to pursue the Israelites in the Night time and then to make their escape to the Egyptian Shores not to encumber and hinder one another and even to overturn their Chariots and break the Wheels against the Rocks Now some Chariots overturned or broke were sufficient to disturb the whole Army and it could go but slowly whilst their Ranks were broke and every Horseman endeavoured to go faster then another This Moses seems to teach us in the words I have quoted All which things I have mentioned did without doubt hinder the march of the Horse and Chariots When the Israelites saw this besides they perhaps observed that the Wind was turned knowing that the Sea would presently flow in they began to think more seriously of making their escape Then at last they perceived that the God of the Israelites was not less Powerful in the Sea then he had been in Egypt So that condemning their rashness they turned back and made haste to the Egyptian Shoar but the Waves breaking upon them they were Drowned Josephus not only says that the Water of the Sea was driven on the Egyptians by the Wind but also that there arose at the same time a violent Storm which perhaps he learned from the Egyptian Priests of his time The Egyptians added that their Ancestors were forced to come home and leave off pursuing the Israelites by reason of the Storms as it appears from Justin Book 26. Ch. 2. But Moses says that they all Perished in the Sea and that not one of them escaped to bring the News of their Calamity From whence one may observe by the bye that Josephus omitted that part of the Tradition of the Egyptians because it was contrary to the History of Moses but willingly alledged according to his Custom that part which was not inconsistent with it VIII If the Histories of Manetho and of some others who wrote the Antiquities of the Egyptians were extant we might